Friday, November 14, 2014

Long Ride Home "Lost Scene" #11

I am surprised to have found so many lost scenes from one book. Go HERE to begin the journey.

This lost scene switches to Justin's encounter with Randle Livingston, the slimy ranch owner and indulgent father. Does it go well? You be the judge.

Andrea Carter and the Long Ride HomeLost Scene #11

"Mr.
Livingston, my name is Justin Carter, and I---"

"Carter,
huh?"Randle Livingston lit a cigar
and sat down, indicating Chad and Justin should do the same. He was a big man,
a man who looked as though he ruled his ranch with an iron hand. He snapped his
fingers and Mrs. Nelson appeared with coffee and cakes.

He eyed Justin. "You the
same Carters who own a good chunk of the valley up around that new town the
railroad started back in '72?Fresno, is it?"he asked, blowing
out a casual puff of smoke.

"The
same."Justin smiled and
took a seat. He ignored Chad, who had no patience for small talk. "And
Fresno isn't exactly new anymore. It's been almost eight years since the Central
Pacific put the station there."

Livingston
snorted and reached for his coffee. "Quite convenient for
you folks, I imagine, with a train terminus practically in your backyard."

"Everyone
in the valley benefits from the railroad, Mr. Livingston,"Justin replied, still smiling. He shot a keep quiet look at his fidgeting brother.

"Sure," Mr. Livingston agreed, waving the subject to a close. "Well, what brings the important Carter
family clear down here to our humble town of Livingstone Flats?Stock buying trip?"

"In
a way,"Justin said. "We'd like to buy a horse."

"A
horse?Just one?What particular qualities are you looking
for?I hear the Circle C ranch raises the
finest horses in this part of California. What would you be looking for on my ranch?"

"One
particular horse,"Chad broke in. "A golden palomino you bought in town the other day. It's our
horse and we want her back."

Livingston
frowned. "Why would I buy a Carter horse in the town of Livingston Flats?"

"You
bought it from the livery stable. The owner had acquired the horse under less
than legal means, I'm afraid,"Justin said, giving Chad a frown.

"I
bought a horse in town last week, yes,"Livingston admitted with nod. He leaned back in his overstuffed chair. "But I bought it in good faith from Jon
March, the livery-owner. Someone had sold it to him, and he wanted to make a
return on his investment. My daughter saw the horse and fell in love with it. She's
been looking for just the right horse, and now she's found her."

The big man stood abruptly. "So I am
sorry to say that the horse you're wanting to buy is simply not for sale."

Justin
and Chad stood too.

"Mr.
Livingston,"Justin tried again. "I
don't think you understand the situation. The horse was stolen. It belongs to
our little sister, who has been missing for two weeks. We have had no news of her and we are very
concerned. So naturally, when we came
across a horse that matched our palomino's description, we hoped that not
only could we retrieve Taffy, but perhaps learn some news regarding the
whereabouts of our sister."

"I
am sorry to hear about your missing sister, Mr. Carter, but I can tell you that
I've heard nothing about lost girls, either here on the ranch or in
town."He shrugged. "Besides, it's
highly unlikely the horse you're looking for is the one I bought."

"May
we see the horse?"Justin asked. "It
would take only a moment to check the brand."He pulled out his pocketbook. "We're prepared
to pay you well over what you paid for her."

"Put
your money back, Mr. Carter. When it comes to my daughter, I care little about
price."His look turned hard. "That's
the way it is sometimes, gentlemen. There is no use seeing the horse, for I will
not part with it."He gave them a
small smile. "But I'm sure you can find another horse to keep your sister
happy."

Chad
stepped forward, red-faced. Justin put out his arm to warn him, but Chad pushed it aside. "Now
see here, Livingston. This is not just any horse. It's a special horse. Andi's
only a kid, and that horse means a lot to her. She may be lost or hurt
somewhere, and when we find her, I want to be able to reunite her with---"

"That's enough, Mr. Carter,"Livingston interrupted. He headed to the
door. "Our visit is over. Go back to your ranch, and please do not
disturb me anymore. I have many things to attend to."He opened the door. “Good day, sir.”

"Good
day, Mr. Livingston,"Justin
replied stiffly, dragging Chad along with him. "You have not heard the end
of this, I'm afraid."

"I
would be a fool if I thought I had.”Livingston’s smile was grim. "You may be able to do what you like
up north, but here I'm the boss. Remember
that."

Chad
kept his anger in check until they met Mitch and started down the driveway.
"Now, Justin, what did that accomplish?" he burst out.

Justin grabbed
Chad's reins before he could gallop head-on into trouble. "Horse-stealing
is a hanging offense, brother, in case you forgot."

"I'm
not stealing our horse!"

"I
think Mr. Livingston would see it differently."Justin sighed. "This has got to be done
right, Chad. We wouldn't get five miles before the sheriff and his posse came after us. I think---for now---we need to leave Taffy
here."He gave Chad a firm look. "At
least we know where she is."

"I think I convinced Felicity Livingston to make friends with Taffy for a few
days before she tries riding her again,"Mitch added. "It buys us a little time."

"Right."Justin nodded. "It's more important to
find Andi. We can worry about Taffy later."

Chad’s
look turned serious at once. "You're right, of course, Justin. I lost
sight of that for a few minutes."He pulled his horse around. "All right. Where to now?"

"I'm
for going back into Livingston Flats and getting the sheriff to post our
"Missing" posters around town. Andi's got to be somewhere. At least we're on the right track."

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About Andi

I'm the main character in 4 book series: Circle C Beginnings, Circle C Stepping Stones, Circle C Adventures, and Circle C Milestones. I live on a huge cattle and horse ranch in 1880 California. These are my adventures.